Crate



(N0 Model k, F. W. KENDALL. CRATE.

No. 422,800. Patentedlvlar. 4, 1800.

l vi liweooeo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FESTUS \V. KENDALL, OF SWARTVVOOD, NE\V YORK.

' CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters LPatent No. 422,800, dated March 4, 1890.

Application filedNovember 20, 1889. $erial No. 380,952. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FESTUS W. KENDALL, of Swartwood, in the county of Ghemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it 'appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the acand my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter.

Referring to the acccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the completed crate. Fig. 2 is a top plan of one of the end frames. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the end frames with the slats thereomtaken in plane of line as 0:. Fig. at is a detail plan of a top or bottom rail of an end frame. Fig. 5 is a detail view of an upright. corner-post of the end pieces.

These crates are preferably formed rectangular in shape, as shown, so that they can be easily handled and transported and closely packed together to take up a minimum amount of space.

The crate consists of two strong and yet lightly-constructed end frames, and the thin narrow light wooden slats a, secured to said frames and forming the ends, sides, and bottom of the crate. crate are similar, and each consists of the two similar upright end or corner posts I) b and a horizontal top rail 0 and a corresponding bot tom rail (1. The upright posts are preferably, although not necessarily, triangular in cross-section, with the beveled face on the inner side, so that the slats can be fastened to the square sides at right angles to each. other, and said posts are in length equal to the depth The two end frames of the of the crate. The top and bottom rails are parallel and are rigidly and firmly secured to' the ends of said corner-posts by means of double mortise jointswhereby the parts are rigidly and firmly connected to form a rectangular frame. These rails are at each end provided with alongitudinal slot or mortise e, forming a tenon f, and the upright posts are at each end provided with a corresponding mor tise e of dimensions to snugly receive the tenon fof the rail, and also to form a tenonf to snugly fit in the mortise e of the rail, thereby forming a rigid andstrong joint, which prevents the ends of the parts from splitting, and when secured it is impossible for the parts to be separated. These rails, although considerably heavier than the slats, are so secured to the posts that the outer faces of the rails. and slats are in about the same vertical planes.

After the end frames have been built the slats forming the ends of the crate are nailed or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the posts. The slats forming the sides of the crate are then secured to the outer sides of the opposite upright posts, and the bottom slats are secured to the bottom rails d of the end frames, which form a secure and firm backing for the securing nails or screws of said slats. The top rails of the end frames can be used as handles in moving the crates, and thus greatly increase the strength and durability of the crate. By thus building the crate with strong and rigid end frames very light slats can be used, whereby the crates, while very strong and durable, are yet very light in weight and can be easily handled.

They are so proportioned as to be easily nested one into the other when empty and being transported. In practice the crates are more particularly intended for transporting potatoes and are constructed of a size to hold just a bushel.

Having thusfully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, i.s--

A crate open at the top and consisting of a pair of similar end frames, each composed of two corner uprights, each upright having a mortise and a tenon at each end, and a heavy bottom and top rail having a mortise and a tenon at each end intermeshing, respectively,

ICO

with the corresponding mortises and tenons at the opposite ends of said uprights, and light slats secured to said uprights and forming the ends and sides of the crate, and slats In testimony that I e lailnthe foregoing as I my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FESTUS W. KENDALL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN D. BURGESS, WILLIAM, O. TAYLOR. 

